Exams and economics

I completed two of my three exams for this week today. I didn't know what to expect of DSA, but I didn't feel like it was as difficult as everyone was making it out to be. It wasn't easy: I did have to think to get answers, but it didn't seem un-doable. Comp Org was about what I expected. There were a couple things I was a little shaky on, but I felt ok about it.

Lately I have been talking to my roommate about general economic policy, a subject we disagree on. The question is this: is it the government's job to help people out by giving them aid (poor/disadvantaged people)? I'm sure you can tell which side I am on. She feels that it is the government's job to help people who are disadvantaged. I have never gotten the chance to give her my argument against welfare because we've been busy with tests and such. And, when it comes down to it, the topics is much broader than it intially sounds.

The roommate says this: people shouldn't be punished for having less of an advantage than those who are more well off; they should be helped. I don't entirely disagree with that idea, but the way that each of us would choose to solve the problem is very different. She is of the opinion that the government should have a very hands-on part in helping people out (admittedly I don't know all the details of what she specifically thinks, but I can make inferences based on what she has told me thus far). People's tax money should contribute to a large welfare system, and the government should control much of the economy. At one point in our conversation, she remarked that my view (although she doesn't know what it is, aside from the fact that I disagree with her) suits the well-off individual, while hers works for the betterment of an entire population.

But the thing is, it doesn't. Society as a whole would be better off without such government interference. Government welfare doesn't work. Too many people take advantage of the system. I have relatives who have done it. It starts like this: people who are disadvantaged money-wise but are capable of working and moving up in the world realize that they can rely on the government to take care of them, they sign up for government aid. After all, it's much easier than putting so much hard work and sweat into making a living. Hardworking people's tax money pays for them to bum around. Then, the people who still work see people like themselves living off of government aid. They decide that they can live in about the same conditions without all the strife, so they sign up too. Then, when the hardworking people notice such corruption in the system, they lose the will to work hard: "why should my hard-earned money go towards paying for this? It's not helping me at all, and it's not right that they should live off of me." And there is the story of the downfall of the economy: people don't work to produce products and goods, and there is no longer any tax money to support the people->nothing to sell, but no matter, nobody has money anymore to buy anything->no economy->extreme poverty for everyone! It has been proven to work this way many times.

Think of it this way: say you have a friend in college who parties a lot, never goes to class or does homework, and fails his/her classes. You work hard for your As: you constantly study, go to class, and make sure you understand the material. Your professor gives you the opportunity to give your friend a couple of your GPA points at the end of the semester so that he/she can stay in school. This would mean that you would both have a 2.0 GPA, a C average. Would you do it? I doubt it. You worked hard for your grades, why would you give them up for your friend, who did nothing to prove that he/she should be in college at all?

I know, I know, not everyone who is on welfare takes advantage of the system. Some people need the aid, like people with certain handicaps. This is where I get to why private organizations and charities should help people, rather than the government. I wish to continue my editorial, but my brain is fried from exams, and it is nearing time for bed, so I will put it off for a later date.

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Word of the Day: Voluble

Article of the Day: Whimpering about Poverty: Maybe you should try the real thing from FredOnEverything.net